Automatic camera-shutter operating and timing instrument.



R. MATHEWS.

AUTOMATIC CAMERA SHUTTER OPERATING AND TIMING INSTRUMENT. APPLICATION HLED JAN. 19. 1915.

1,230,500. Patented June 19, 1917.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROLLAND MATHEWS, 0F MARSHALL, MINNESOTA.

AUTOMATIC CAMERA-SHUTTER, OPERATING AND TIMING INSTRUMENT.

Application filed Januaiy 19, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROLLAND hlivrrrnws, a citizen of the United States, residing at Marshall, in the county of Lyon and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Automatic Camera-Shutter Operating and Timing Instrument Designed for Use on a Photographic Camera, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the timing of the exposure of a photographic plate or film, and to the operation of the shutter of the camera or kodak, automatically; and the objects of my improve ments are,

First, in the accurate timing of a time exposure without the necessity of action on the part of the operator in so doing, further than to set the mechanism, release lever to start the same, and

Second, in the automatic operation of the shutter in the taking of photographic pictures, after a desired number of seconds of time, giving the operator time in which to move within the field to be photographed. and thus appear in the picture produced, if he so desires, and

Third, in the taking of either time exposures or so-called snap shots, according to the desire of the operator.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following detailed description.

The invention consists generally in various constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,

The figure is a front elevation of the attachment with a portion of the casing broken away to illustrate the operating mechanism.

In the drawing, 2 represents the usual front portion of a kodak or camera, having a lens 3. 4 is a collar to encircle the lens and its supporting barrel and having a ring 5 formed therein that is adapted to fit snugly over the lens and barrel, as shown in the figure, an opening being provided between the lower portion of the ring 5 and the cor responding portion of the collar through which the person using the camera may in sert the finger for the purpose of adjusting the pointer 6, which controls the size of the shutter opening, as usual in camera con Specification of Letters Patent.

and pressing the Patented June 19, 1917.

Serial No. 3,189.

having the usual connections with a spring 12 and a gear 13 meshing with the pinion ll of a gear 15 which, in turn, meshes with the gear 7 for revolving it and the dial. The gear 7 meshes with a pinion of the escapement wheel 16 provided with the usual lever and verge 17 and balance wheel 18, all of ordinary construction. A casing 19 supports the clock mechanism and is secured to the collar 4 that is mounted on the lens barrel. A stop 20 is provided in a socket in the casing in the path of a pin 21 that is mounted on the dial, thereby normally locking the dial against rotation. Pins 22 and 23 are provided to fit into the recesses 10 in the dial, these recesses being of sufficient width to receive both of the pins inserted side by side therein, or one of them may be placed in one recess and the other pin in another recess, as indicated in the figure. These pins may be held in the recesses in any suitable way, preferably by means of sockets 24 in the bottoms of the recesses to receive lugs 25 on the inner ends of the pins, this being merely a conventional manner of mounting the pins to render them adjustable on the dial. An arm 26 projects upwardly from the casing and a lever 27 is pivoted thereon having a short arm 28 in position to be engaged by one of the pins 22 and 23 and a long arm 29, which overhangs the shutter trip lever 30 for actuating it to operate the shutter.

From the foregoing description it will be noted that this camera attachment may be. and usually would be, a permanent part of the camera, requiring practically no additional space in the camera casing, not in any way obstructing or making inconvenient the usual use of the camera andthe tripping of its shutter lever by a bulb or by the finger in the ordinary way. The stop 20 will pre vent the dial from revolving and the operating spring may be Wound and power stored therein for setting the mechanism in motion as soon as the dial is released by the removal of the stop. At that time the dial will begin to revolve and will make a complete revolution or until the pin 21 again contacts with the stop. During this time the shutter lever may be tripped at varying intervals, according to the position of the trigger pins 22 and 23 in the periphery of the dial.

In the figure these pinsare shown in position to trip the shutter lever for a ten second time exposure, that being :the interval represented by the figures on the dial between the two pins. If an instantaneous exposure is desired, the pin 22 may be removed and if the pin 23 .is left .in the position shown, the operator would have ample time to move into the field of the camera before the exposure took place, and it is therefore possible for the user of the camera to appear in'a snap shot, the time before the exposure depending, of course, upon the position of the trigger pins upon the dial and the number'of seconds to elapse before it reaches a position to trip the camera shutter.

If the operator desires to appear in a time exposure picture, he will :move one pin a sufficient distance from the point where it would trip the shutter to provide sufiicient time for him to walk into the camera field and then, by the adjustment of the other pin, provide a sufficient number of seconds interval for the length of exposure desired.

' In this way the user of the camera can take a snap shot or time exposure and appear in the picture himself if he desires, and without removing the attachment can use the camera with an ordinary bulb :or finger trip for the lens shutter.

In various ways the'details of construction herein shown and described may be modified and still be within the scope of my inven tion.

I claim as my invention:

1. A camera attachment comprising a member having means for mounting it on a camera encircling the lens, means for revolving said member, a device for looking it against premature movement, and a shutter trip mounted for adjustment on said member and positioned to operate the camera shutter at a predetermined point in the movement of said member.

2. A camera attachment comprising a disk having means for mounting it on a camera encircling the lens and provided with peripheral notches, means for revolving said disk, means for looking it against premature movement, and means adjustable 'in said notches and positioned to trip the camera shutter at a predetermined point in the movement of said disk.

8. A camera attachment comprising a member having means for mounting it on a camera, said member encircling the lens, means for revolving said member, and a shutter trip mounted for adjustment 011 said member and positioned to operate the camera shutter at a predetermined point in the movement of said member.

l. A camera attachment comprisinga disk encircling the lens and having notches in its periphery, spaced apart and marked to indicate seconds of time, means for revolving said disk, means for locking said disk against premature movement, a trip device having a fork to straddle the edge of said disk and fit the notches therein, said trip device engaging the camera shutter at a predetermined point in the revolution of said disk.

5. A camera attachment comprising a rim adapted to encircle the lens support, a disk having an anti-friction bearing on said rim, a spring-actuated mechanism for revolving said disk, means for locking said disk against premature movement, the face of said disk being graduated to represent seconds, and a shutter trip device adjustable on said disk and positioned to operate the shutter as said disk revolves.

6. A camera attachment comprising a revolving disk and means for operating said disk, having means for mounting it on a camera encircling the lens, means for locking said disk against premature movement, trip devices mounted for peripheral adjustment on said disk and said trip devices adapting said attachment for operating the came-rashutter for time exposure, the first trip device opening the shutter and the second trip device at a predetermined distance therefrom closing the shutter.

7. A camera attachment comprising a revolving member having means for mounting it on a camera encircling the lens, means for operating said member and means for normally locking it against premature movement, and trip devices having a peripheral adjustment on said member and positioned to successively trip the camera shutter and adapt the attachment for time exposure.

8. A camera attachment comprising a revolving member having means for mounting it on a camera encircling the lens, means for operating said member and means for normally locking it against premature movement, said member having a plurality of peripheral notches and trip devices mounted in said notches and positioned to trip the camerashutter, the first trip opening the shutter, and the second trip closing the shutter after a predetermined interval. 7

9. In combination with a camera, a revolving member mounted encircling the lens, a spring-actuated mechanism for operating said member, a stop mounted on the camera for normally holding said member against revolution, and trip devices for the camera shutter mounted on said member and adjustable thereon for the purpose specified.

10. A camera attachment comprising a member having means for mounting it on a camera, said member encircling the lens, means for revolving said member, and a shutter trip mounted on said member and positioned to operate the camera shutter at a predetermined point in the movement of said member.

11. A photographic camera including a shutter mechanism having a movable control device, in combination with a motor arranged on the camera and having a movable part thereof engageable with said device to actuate the same and also having a movable part thereof annular and encircling and movable around the axis of the exposure aperture.

12. A photographic camera including a shutter mechanism having a movable control device and also including a housing for said mechanism having the exposure aperture of the camera, in combination with a motor arranged on the housing and having a moving part thereof engageable with said device to actuate the same and also having a moving part thereof encircling and movable around the axis of said aperture.

13. In combination, a shutter mechanism including a supporting structure for the moving parts of said mechanism, said supporting structure having means to clamp the same to a dark chamber forming structure, and a motor surrounding and controlling the shutter mechanism, said motor being supported by said clamping means.

14:. A photographic camera inc uding a shutter mechanism having a movable control device, in combination with a motor arranged on the camera, an annular part operated by the motor and encircling and movable around the exposure aperture, and another part carried by said annular part and engageable with said control device.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ROLLAND MATHEWS.

WVitnesses AMBROSE RUANE, M. E. MATHEWS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

